Since we had an intimate group for our Thanksgiving meal, there was really no need to roast an entire bird. Plus, this technique was so great and cooking the turkey quickly, while achieving perfectly golden & crispy skin, all while keeping the meat succulent and moist. I would highly recommend it to anyone who has had a dried out turkey before.
The bone-in turkey with the skin on will really help to retain moisture also. So be sure to find the turkey with bone in and skin on. Then get a big, sharp knife and split the thing right down the center. Spread it out on a baking sheet with 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, 2 cloves of garlic, and 6 sprigs of fresh thyme.
Then gently lift up the skin and spread butter all under the skin. Rub more butter over every inch of the surface of the turkey. Then season all sides liberally with salt & pepper.
Roast it in a 425-degree oven for 45-50 minutes, rotating once halfway through. Cook until an instant-read thermometer reads 160-degrees in the thickest part of the breasts. Don't be freaked out by smoke coming from your oven -- that is just the butter. Set it aside for 10 minutes to rest before carving.
This was the best turkey I have ever eaten. No question about it. The crispy skin was so delicious. Then the meat was moist & succulent. My mother-in-law helped make a gravy with the pan drippings and it really made the dish even more rich. I used to only like dark meat from turkey; but now I'm a convert. This was that good!
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